2022–23 Premier League of Belize
Season | 2022–23 |
---|---|
Dates | 30 July 2022 – 2023 |
Champions | Opening: Altitude |
Matches played | 86 |
Goals scored | 221 (2.57 per match) |
Top goalscorer | Opening: Andres Orozco (11 goals) |
Biggest home win | Opening: Verdes 5–0 Belmopan Bandits (11 September 2022) Port Layola 5–0 Belmopan Bandits (23 October 2022) |
Biggest away win | Opening: Belmopan Bandits 0–4 Verdes (29 October 2022) |
Highest scoring | Opening: Belmopan Bandits 4–2 Wagiya (24 September 2022) |
Longest winning run | Opening: 3 matches Altitude San Pedro Pirates Verdes Wagiya |
Longest unbeaten run | Opening: 9 matches Verdes |
Longest winless run | Opening: 8 matches Belmopan Bandits |
Longest losing run | Opening: 4 matches Belmopan Bandits Port Layola Wagiya |
← 2019–20 2023–24 → |
The 2022–23 Premier League of Belize is the tenth season of the Premier League of Belize, the highest competitive football league in Belize, after it was founded in 2011. The league commenced in July 2022 and is scheduled to end in mid 2023. The season is divided into two halves (opening and closing), each crowning one champion.
Teams
There were eight teams that participated in the 2022–23 season. From the 2021–22 FFB Top League, administered by the Football Federation of Belize, four teams returned to the league. These were Altitude, San Pedro Pirates, Verdes and Wagiya. After a brief hiatus from top level football, Belmopan Bandits also returned to the league. The three other teams were made up of Benque Viejo United, who played under the license of Police United, Progresso from Orange Walk, who previously competed in amateur level competitions in the country, and Port Layola, a newly formed team from Belize City.[1]
Team | City | Stadium | Capacity |
---|---|---|---|
Altitude | Independence | Michael Ashcroft Stadium | 2,000 |
Benque Viejo United | Benque | Marshalleck Stadium | 2,000 |
Internacional FC[a] | Belmopan | Isidoro Beaton Stadium | 2,500 |
Port Layola | Belize City | MCC Grounds Marion Jones Sports Complex |
2,000 7,500 |
Progresso | Orange Walk | Orange Walk People's Stadium | 4,500 |
San Pedro Pirates | San Pedro | Ambergris Stadium | 1,500 |
Verdes | San Ignacio | Norman Broaster Stadium | 2,000 |
Wagiya | Dangriga | Carl Ramos Stadium | 3,500 |
- ^ Belmopan Bandits changed their name to International Futbol Club in February 2023.
Opening season
The General Manager of the league, Wіlhеlm Міguеl ѕtated that thе format of the oреnіng sеаѕоn wіll initially fеаturе а dоublе rоund rоbіn рhаѕе. The top fоur ranked tеаmѕ will then quаlіfу for a hоmе аnd аwау ѕеmіfіnаls, with thе wіnnеrѕ mееting іn a twо-gаmе fіnаlѕ.[2] The opening season commenced on 30 July 2022.[3]
League table
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Altitude | 14 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 22 | 10 | +12 | 32 | Advance to Playoffs |
2 | Verdes | 14 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 24 | 9 | +15 | 27 | |
3 | San Pedro Pirates | 14 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 20 | 13 | +7 | 23 | |
4 | Progresso | 14 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 18 | |
5 | Benque Viejo United | 14 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 15 | 17 | −2 | 16 | |
6 | Port Layola | 14 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 17 | 20 | −3 | 16 | |
7 | Wagiya | 14 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 15 | 23 | −8 | 14 | |
8 | Belmopan Bandits | 14 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 11 | 32 | −21 | 8 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Results
Playoffs
Semifinals | Finals | ||||||||||||
1 | Altitude | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||||||||
4 | Progresso | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||
1 | Altitude (p) | 1 | 1 | 2 (11) | |||||||||
2 | Verdes | 1 | 1 | 2 (10) | |||||||||
2 | Verdes | 2 | 3 | 5 | |||||||||
3 | San Pedro Pirates | 2 | 2 | 4 |
Semifinals
Game One[4]
12 November 2022 | San Pedro Pirates | 2 – 2 | Verdes | Ambergris Stadium, San Pedro |
19:30 | Andir Chi 80' Erick Izquierdo 90+3' |
Desmond Wade 60' Krisean Lopez 90+5' |
13 November 2022 | Progresso | 1 – 2 | Altitude | Orange Walk People's Stadium, Orange Walk |
15:30 | Dedron Baptist 80' | Dellon Torres 54' Aloisio Teixeira 82' |
Game Two[5]
19 November 2022 | Altitude | 1 – 0 (3 – 1 agg.) | Progresso | Michael Ashcroft Stadium, Independence |
20:00 | Miguel Garcia 58' |
20 November 2022 | Verdes | 3 – 2 (5 – 4 agg.) | San Pedro Pirates | Norman Broaster Stadium, San Ignacio |
16:00 | Darrell Myvett 14' Desmond Wade 27' Trimayne Harris 58' |
Horace Avila 42' Erick Izquierdo 66' |
Finals
Game One[6]
27 November 2022 | Verdes | 1 – 1 | Altitude | Norman Broaster Stadium, San Ignacio |
15:30 | Luis Ibarra 71' | Rene Leslie 78' |
Game Two[7]
11 December 2022 | Altitude | 1 – 1 (a.e.t.) (2 – 2 agg.) (11 – 10 p) | Verdes | Isidoro Beaton Stadium, Belmopan |
18:00 | Luis Torres 52' | Luis Ibarra 45' |
Season statistics
Top scorers
Rank | Player | Team | Goals* |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Andres Orozco | Altitude | 11 |
2 | Luis Ibarra | Verdes | 9 |
3 | Horace Avila | San Pedro Pirates | 7 |
Sean Young | Port Layola | ||
5 | Trimayne Harris | Verdes | 6 |
Erick Izquierdo | San Pedro Pirates | ||
7 | Cion Augustine | Wagiya | 5 |
Zamir Bonilla | Progresso | ||
Desmond Wade | Verdes |
* Includes playoff goals.
Hat-tricks
Player | For | Against | Result | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jaren Lambey | Belmopan Bandits | Wagiya | 4–2 (H) | 24 September 2022 |
Ayrton Sisa | Benque Viejo United | Port Layola | 3–1 (A) | 25 September 2022 |
Desmond Wade | Verdes | Belmopan Bandits | 4–0 (A) | 29 October 2022 |
Closing season
All eight teams that participated in the opening season participated in the closing season.[8]
The format will be the same as the opening season with one league consisting of the eight teams, who will play each other twice, with the top four teams advancing to the end of season playoffs. The closing season commenced on 14 January 2023.[9]
In February 2023, part way through the closing season, Belmopan Bandits changed their name to International Futbol Club, after striking a sponsorship deal with a team from Mexico.[10]
League table
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Port Layola | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 3 | +9 | 14 | Advance to Playoffs |
2 | San Pedro Pirates | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 7 | +11 | 13 | |
3 | Benque Viejo United | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 10 | |
4 | Altitude | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 5 | +4 | 9 | |
5 | Progresso | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 9 | |
6 | Verdes | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 8 | |
7 | Internacional FC | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 14 | −12 | 2 | |
8 | Wagiya | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 19 | −14 | 0 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Results
Season statistics
Top scorers
Rank | Player | Team | Goals* |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Horace Avila | San Pedro Pirates | 5 |
Michael Palacio | Port Layola | ||
3 | Daniel Jimenez | Benque Viejo United | 4 |
4 | Mario Chimal | San Pedro Pirates | 3 |
Facundo Garnier | San Pedro Pirates | ||
Gilroy Thurton | Port Layola | ||
Luis Valdez | San Pedro Pirates |
Hat-tricks
Player | For | Against | Result | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Horace Avila | San Pedro Pirates | Verdes | 4–2 (A) | 12 February 2023 |
References
- ^ "New Premier League of Belize, featuring three new clubs, delayed one week; to play three pre-season games this weekend". Breaking Belize News. 21 July 2022. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
- ^ "Premier League of Belize Opening Season kicks off this coming weekend". Breaking Belize News. 25 July 2022. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
- ^ "Port Layola holds Verdes to 0-0 draw in Premier League of Belize Opener in Benque". Breaking Belize News. 30 July 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
- ^ "Tight scores in Leg 1 of PLB semi-finals". Amandala. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
- ^ "Altitude versus Verdes in PLB Finals". Amandala. 26 November 2022. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
- ^ "1-1 in San Ignacio; Altitude vs Verdes on Saturday in Independence for PLB championship". Amandala. 30 November 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
- ^ "Altitude are national football champs, defeated Verdes in penalty shootout". Amandala. 14 December 2022. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ "Champions Altitude, Benque Viejo United kick off 2022-2023 Premier League of Belize Closing Championship on Saturday, January 14". Breaking Belize News. 31 December 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
- ^ "Premier League Closing Season kicks off". Amandala. 21 January 2023. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
- ^ "Bandits strike sponsorship deal with Mexican football club, change name to Internacional Fútbol Club". Breaking Belize News. 17 February 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2023.